Ballfields & Blackboards

This month we look back at the first half of the MLB season to highlight the underachievers and overachievers as well as proposed changes to the draft that would restrict entry to those 20 or over. In addition, we talk about how the Broncos managed their salary cap purgatory and how other teams are or are not following that path, Dusty May's move from Michigan to the Dallas Mavs, and the restructu...

We dig into the 24-team college football playoff idea, the connection between MLB franchise values and the likelihood of a strike, the renewed interest in the Indianapolis 500, and more.  

We dive into the NFL draft and ask whether it makes sense to draft a running back as high as Jeremiyah Love, and why Ty Simpson went so high.  We also look back on the first month of MLB, trends in MLS popularity, the standoff between the BIG 10 and SEC on composition of the football playoff, and the "Vrabel Affair." 

We dive into a proposal from Senator Tommy Tubberville for ending the turmoil in college athletics along with a conversation about best strategies for the automated strike zone in MLB and other stuff. 

This month we discuss the topsy turvey world of the College Football Playoff and why a coach like Curt Cignetti succeeds while others fail. 

This month, we dive into the college football playoff setup, the Lane Kiffin drama, disappointment for NCAA with no Congressional intervention, the Big Ten's private investment strategy, and the trial for the lawsuit against NASCAR by Michael Jordan's 23XI. 

This month we discuss the influences on the criminal indictments and investigations of athletes regarding sports gambling.  We also examine why so many college football coaches are losing their jobs in October and November along with the YoutubeTV and Disney Settlement, and on-the-field action in pro and college football. 

This month we engage in a lively debate about the firing of James Franklin by Penn State along with other college coaching ups and downs and a boost to MLB viewership. 

This month, we offer a counterpoint to most media analysis of the Micah Parsons trade along with a conversation about skill versus luck in sports, and whether Alabama football has lost its advantage in the NIL era. 

This month we take a look at the deal struck between ESPN and the NFL, whether teams should just shut up and pay up to players like Micah Parsons, and the influences behind MLB trade deadline deals and whether they make sense

We dive into the proposals and discussions about expanding the NCAA football playoff from 12 to 16 teams.  Additionally, we discuss the emerging story of the $350 million deficit at USC and what it may indicate, as well as the positives and negatives of the MLB All-Star Game's "Swing Off" in place of extra innings. 

This month we explore the factors behind the dramatic decline of Manchester United and possible lessons for other elite sports teams as well asking whether the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Tomlin should be praised for their consistency or questioned for their inability to advance in the playoffs in recent years. We quickly dabble back into the equity and sustainability of the NCAA settlement with...

We dive into Major League Baseball to consider ways to curb the rash of pitcher injuries, the breakup of ESPN and MLB, Hall of Fame considerations for Pete Rose and Joe Jackson, the Rockies dismal performance, and other stuff. 

This month we tackle the coach firings in the lead-up to the NBA playoffs, the wrestling match known as the NCAA basketball final, and the roller-coaster, emotional win of Rory McIlroy at the Masters Tournament. 

Where will the Rays relocate? Is the break-up of MLB and ESPN good or bad for MLB? Why did the ACC settle with Clemson and FSU and does the SEC want them? Will the PGA Tour and LIV ever reach a deal? We tackle all these questions this month 

This month we consider the blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, the Dodgers hoarding most of the MLB free agents by paying Ohtani practically nothing over the next decade, and Super Bowl stuff. 

This month we discuss the outcomes for and tweaks to the College Football Playoffs, the emerging NFL playoff scenarios, whether any NBA stars will arise, and the UCLA basketball coach's media meltdowns. 

This month we examine how the college football playoff selection and seeding panned out along with adjustments likely to occur down the line. Also, we discuss Juan Soto's new contract with the Mets and how much advantage the big money clubs have in MLB along with the most positive sports stories of the past year.  

This month we talk about Michael Jordan's suit against NASCAR, why and how different athletes perform better or worse under pressure, and college and NFL playoff projections. 

This month we tackle the dilemma that some NFL teams face of paying their "average" QB a big percentage of their salary cap space or risking falling off a cliff. We also think about ways to stem the tide of MLB pitcher injuries, Formula 1 hype versus reality, and the ongoing NCAA payer player litigation. 

This month we consider where the PAC 12 is headed, if anywhere, Deion Sanders' present and future in Colorado, and why so many coaches like Billy Napier at Florida can't transfer their lower-level coaching success to the bigger stage. 

We recap the fun, amazing, and weird from the Paris Olympic Games along with questions about the new $7 billion per year TV deal that the NBA signed with various networks and streaming services. 

We examine Vegas college football win totals betting lines, the MLB aversion to developing 2-way players like Paul Skenes, and more. 

After a year off we're back at it and looking at the media consensus condemned the Falcons for selecting Michael Penix in the first round. Crazy or clever? Why trade up in the draft? Why take so many quarterbacks early when history says that most of them won't pan out? Plus, will the Caitlin Clark effect on women's basketball viewership last?